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Monday, 20 July 2015

Making Quiet Critters

Today we have been making critters out of craft pom poms. Have you heard about pom pom critters? So useful if you need to keep children quiet, for whatever the reason.
We used glitter pom poms as they look like they have spiky hair all over them, due to their metallic strands. We think they look rather cool!

Homemade Quiet Critters

Pom pom critters can be used by teachers, in the classroom, or at home to help with behaviour management. They are named 'Quiet Critters' in this instance. For a teaching method of keeping the children quiet and on task, this can work really well. The idea being that all the creatures live in a soundproof container as they don't like to hear a lot of noise. If a child is quiet, they get the chance to look after a critter. If the child, then gets too noisy, the critter will dislike this and need to be moved to a quieter place.

Critters do not need feet as the pom poms will stand alone without toppling over. However, if you prefer a critter to have feet you can use foam hands and feet for the bases. We actually used foam hands for some of our critters and used them as feet as who knows really what a critters' feet look like!

Pom Pom Critters With Feet

We made both small and large critters as different children have different tastes. They are best suited for classes in key stage 1, although we know of an 18 year old who has been quite taken with them! Not that it keeps him quiet, by any means. On this, junior classes may be enticed by them too.

They could be made as a whole class craft activity at school, or a teacher could make them themselves during the holidays. (Well which teachers have time to make critters during term time!)
If your class would prefer pom pom monsters, these are just as easy to make as critters. Just add a single googly eye rather than a pair of googly eyes.

To make the critters all you need are glitter pom poms, small and large googly eyes, foam feet (if desired) and glue. If you use self adhesive eyes and do not want feet, you will not need any glue at all. Assemble as shown in the image below.

Pom Pom Critter

Critters can also be used at home during times which children are best being quiet, in preschools, nurseries and by childminders. Have you ever used Critters with your children as a means of keeping children quiet? We think that for just over £10.00, the materials to make 100 critters is money well spent!